The internet of things (TOT) is the label given to a relatively recent trend of connecting household appliances and devices to the internet to develop greater and more convenient control over the devices. A relatively standard method of controlling the appliances using a mobile device, such as a telephone, is to connect the appliances to a hub, which communicates with a local area network, which can be accessed with the mobile device or a computer. However, controlling the appliance with a first signal from the mobile device to the network, a second signal from the network to the hub, and a third signal from the hub to the appliance means that there are three different communication pathways and deterioration of any of the three can interrupt control of the appliance.
FIG. 1 is a block diagram of a broadcast communication system 10 without a hub that exists in the prior art. The diagram includes a control device 12, such as a smart phone and a plurality of peripheral devices 14, such as lamps or other appliances. Within this communication system 10, a peripheral device 14 that is not paired to a control device 12 transmits a plurality of signals, known as advertisements 16, every minute if not every second in search of a control device 12. Once a control device 12 pairs with the peripheral device 14, the peripheral device 14 stops sending advertisements 16 and waits for commands from the control device 12.
Many appliances are equipped with transceivers that permit short-range wireless communication, such as Bluetooth Low Energy communication. These transceivers can receive communications from devices other than hubs. Specifically, the appliance transceivers can receive communications directly from mobile devices and direct communication would simplify appliance control. However, it can be difficult for a mobile device to communicate contemporaneously with several or many appliances using classical Bluetooth communication as classical Bluetooth communication is designed to be point-to-point. At best, mobile device can pair and send signals sequentially to a number of appliances, although sequential signaling results in delayed communication to appliances at the end of the sequence.
A solution being devised to address the point-to-point limitations of Bluetooth Low Energy communication is identified within the industry as a mesh. The mesh turns appliances into network nodes. For example, for traditional BLE communication to turn off appliance A, appliance B, and appliance C would require the mobile device to connect to appliance A, then turn appliance A off, then disconnect from appliance A, then connect to appliance B, then turn off appliance B, then disconnect from appliance B, then connect to appliance C, then turn off appliance C, then disconnect from appliance C. Conceptually, as illustrated in FIG. 2, the mesh would involve the mobile device connecting to appliance A, turning off appliance A and instructing appliance A to turn off appliance C, then disconnecting with appliance A (step 1), then connect with appliance B while appliance A connects to appliance C, then appliance B and appliance C would be contemporaneously instructed to turn off (step 2). The mesh structure can then continue to grow, where appliances A, B, and C are sending instructions to three more appliances while the mobile device connects with another device, doubling its reach with every step.
Unfortunately, the industry has not been able to agree unanimously on any mesh standards, hampering implementation. Further, memory limitations in current appliance hardware may limit the capacity for appliance to serve as nodes that pass instructions to multiple devices. Thus, a heretofore unaddressed need exists in the industry to address the aforementioned deficiencies and inadequacies.